Frequently Asked Questions

Pemberton Discovery Tours is a family run business, operating since October 1999 and with over 5000 fantastic tours under its belt.

The Beach & Forest Eco Adventure experience is well developed and has been highly recommended by tourism familiarisations to the area by our national and state tourism organisation over the past 10 years.

We have also been fortunate enough to be showcased on 8 different television programs including The Great Outdoors and Postcards WA (twice!) and have fantastic reviews on Trip Advisor, Facebook and other websites.

If you are coming to Pemberton by conventional 2WD vehicle, bus or hire car, this tour is the only way to access this amazing area.

The selection of questions and answers below are taken from experiences we have had in the shop and may assist you in deciding to take our AMAZING ADVENTURE!

F A Q 's

What do we bring?

Please bring your water (we have some onboard but it is inaccessible whilst we are driving). We do have water for sale at the shop and will happily fill any water bottles you may have in the car (check under the seat).

Also ensure you are wearing appropriate clothing and don’t forget your camera equipment/batteries, hat, sunscreen, bathers or umbrella (in season) and a sense of adventure!

Where do you meet, where do you park, how do we get in touch if we are running late?

Departure is from the Pemberton Discovery Shop - Located 'downtown' at 12 Brockman St Pemberton - next door to the Mill House Tearooms, opposite the road to the Pool and Caravan Park.

There is free parking in the street or down the side of the building. If you have a large van you can park in the Pemberton Sports Club Carpark.

Please contact us via phone on 08 9776 0484 or SMS my mobile 0427133335 if you are running late.

Tours duration and availability.

We endeavour to run tours will run with a minimum of 4 passengers, however this does depend on vehicle and guide availability.

Beach & Forest Eco Adventure runs from 9am - 1pm OR 2pm - 6pm

The Black Point tour runs for between 8 and 10 hours with a minimum of 4 passengers*

The only days we do not operate are Christmas Day (reopening 2pm Boxing Day)

Do you have a layout/tour itinerary available?

Yes, it is available to view on the individual tours - scroll down the page or click here.

STILL UNDECIDED TO JOIN US?

HERE ARE SOME OTHER REASONS…

We are only here for one night.

Great - we would love you to stay longer however what we offer you is something you will not be able to do yourself - complete with a guided view of the region. You may decide to do the tour as your special experience of Pemberton and you will not be disappointed.

If you are only in for one night, book in advance to grab a 2pm departure the day of arrival - otherwise if you choose a morning tour we can make sure you are back on the road, with a full tummy (ie lunch) 1pm.

If you decide not to join us - that's ok – grab a brochure and now you have a very good reason to return to Pemberton.

We always recommend joining us during Wildflower season – but love each and every season as they all offer a good reason to return to Pemberton.

We don’t do tours

Ok this is fair for personal reasons – however do you have the capacity of going out to the area’s we visit without taking a tour?

The tours are small in number and are not in the same category as tours who can take a larger number of people. Often once people who say this and have been persuaded to do the tour are so grateful they return every year to repeat the experience. So we hope we can change your mind!

We are the tour people who 'don't do tours' do!

It is too expensive

Based on comparison with equivalent tours, our clients often comment on the good value.

Our fees include National Park Entrance Fees (of $6.60 per person), delicious picnic Lunch or home made afternoon tea and the services of a professional and proficient guide for 4 hours including GST.

Small groups enable a very personalised aspect to the tour; and we are fully insured, accredited and licensed with the Department of Parks & Wildlife, Transport, Ecotourism Australia, Tourism Council Western Australia, Australia's South West, Pemberton Visitors Centre and Tourism WA.

So we hope this gives you a better understanding of our pricing.

We don’t have a 4WD

The tour seats up to 13 passengers in a heavily modified 4WD Arkana converted Landcruiser.

The vehicles uniqueness is often a topic of conversation. Our second vehicle is a Toyota Prado which can seat up to 4 adults or a family of 6.

So you don’t have to drive yourself... you hop onboard with us!

We have our own 4WD vehicle

We have found that 20% of people joining us onboard our vehicle have their own 4WD. They would prefer to park it up and join us onboard for the tour so they don’t damage their own vehicle and often means of transport home.

Alternatively have you considered a tag along tour? Our guided tag along tours are a great way to enjoy the great outdoors as part of a guided group. We offer UHF communications and have a compressor available. The tours have commentary and, based on the experience of the driver, some instruction and guidance on the different terrains. Perfect for someone with a new 4WD or for someone wanting to learn to drive a 4WD (ie teaching the wife to drive a 4WD –that happens a lot!).

We don’t do 4WD tours

We try hard not to be perceived as a 4WD adventure tour however the label sticks as it is the only vehicle that can get us into these parts of the national park.

We endeavour to offer an adventurous experience through terrain which is only accessible by 4WD.

The safety of our passengers, the environment and the life of our vehicles are too precious to us to destroy by careless actions….

Also the majority of our clients are doing the tour to see the sights and would not appreciate a purposely bumpy ride.

The kids are too young

Cameron, Kieran and even Georgia (our kids) have grown up on the tour – and from the age of 2 months they participated on the tours. We have found that young children tend to sleep on the bumpy bits :o)

We often have kites onboard and encourage the families to roll down the dunes and have fun in the beautiful clean sand.

Child seats are available for infants and juniors.

We do have family rates and are negotiable for infants off peak season.

Every family we have had onboard the tour has loved the trip as it offers time out for the adults as children are entertained.

Children are very welcome and LOVE the tour.

DEFINITELY A MUST DO WITH KIDS!

I or my children get car sick

We do tell people that it is a 4WD adventure although we are not out to throw the vehicles around the dunes, however sections are bumpy.

We advise people to medicate themselves for car sickness should they require it under normal situations.

However please let the guide know if you feel ill as they will arrange priority seating and extra stops to alleviate symptoms.

I have had back surgery/bad back.

We do not recommend the tour to people who have back surgery in general however have had a number of people over the past 17 years who have chosen to do the tour – one in particular said that his back was pulled back in!

Again the tour is not a ‘throw the vehicle around’ tour however sometimes the tracks are poorly maintained and the roads can be bumpy. Please advise the guide at time of booking and priority seating and extra stops can be arranged.

Seniors and Disabilities.

I am reminded of a tour which the 86 year old lady passenger said to Graeme “don’t worry I was young once too and I love a bit of excitement” If you are travelling this far from home to Pemberton then you are already out of their comfort zone <insert evil laugh here> and so the tour is suitable for you!

The terrain is not smooth – however we endeavour to ensure the safety and comfort of all our passengers.

The tours take in around 70km of national park which is considered inaccessible to the majority of visitors to the town and the seniors market is a large component of our business.

We recognise the largest draw card to seniors who do our tour is the price (it is good value with the $16 discount for seniors including lunch) and the small tour group size.

The tour groups are small, so we value all of our clients’ discussions, questions, input and experience to the tour so you don’t end up feeling like you are taking up the tour guides time.

We don’t speak English

The tour travels through 4 totally different terrains in as many hours and every international visitor we have had on our tour has enjoyed the experience.

We find they often returning to the shop and emailing home and friends photos they have taken on the tour.

Worried about safety

All vehicles are maintained in accordance with the Transport WA vehicle maintenance schedule.

All vehicles are fitted with a satellite phone, fire extinguisher and safety instructions should an event occur. All our guides are licensed with F class licences and hold current first aid certificates and are proficient drivers and guides.

What happens if it is raining

The locals say Pemberton rains 9 months of the year and drips off the trees the remaining three.

So every business in Pemberton caters for wet weather.

Our tours depart daily all year round – the scenery and experience differs greatly during wet weather with some amazing opportunities for photography.

We have found that our tours during wet weather offer our clients the opportunity to witness raw nature at work and it can be a very emotive experience.

We do carry umbrellas onboard and ask our clients to wear appropriate clothing and footwear.

We would like to fish

Fishing is no longer available unless booked as a private tour.

We like to travel during quiet times.

During quiet times we have found our percentage of small groups increases. This is mainly because the type of traveller changes – often people coming during the quiet times are more likely to take a guided tour than people heading down for a quick break. – it is really beautiful having the place to yourselves. Also often if people get a good deal on accommodation they have funds available for tours and meals out.

We will miss out on hay ride (etc)

Under different circumstances, pick up can be from selected accommodation (ie at 9.15am for the Pumphill hay ride, from a restaurant for a special birthday breakfast, from an accommodation place for a large group booking or the caravan park if you have a motor home or are without transport) so let us know when booking.

We would like a private booking or full day tour

Private group bookings are available, couples and singles are encouraged to join the normal tour however private rates are available on all tours.

Let us know if you wish to do something out of the norm – it is normally not a problem to organise the tour for your private group.